After a report released this week from Missouri State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick showed the state has gone through $1.5 billion in reserves over two years, House Budget Chairman Dirk Deaton told Missourinet that unlike the federal government, Missouri cannot rely on deficit spending.
“So that’s the task before us is to make some adjustments over the next couple of years, which are going to have to make some cuts at various points and that’s necessary,” said Deaton. “It’s not a surprise and it’s not unlike what Missouri families have to do.”
Deaton said nothing in the State Auditor’s report is surprising.
“Missouri, unlike Washington DC, we can’t deficit spend,” said Deaton. “You want to plan for what you know the future is going to hold and not wait until you have no other choice and maybe have to make more draconian measures or cuts.”
Deaton told Missourinet that adjustments, and possibly cuts, are coming and when you look at cuts, you look at where you spend most of your money—those largest budgetary items.
“Obviously, our Medicaid program, higher education often historically when there’s been cuts,” said Deaton. “K12 education at times have seen cuts when they need to be made.”
Deaton said if cuts have to happen, they’re always difficult decisions—made carefully and deliberately—but it’s too early to say where or what those might look like.
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